459 Havering College students given unforgettable Olympic gift

Precisely 459 students from Havering College of Further and Higher Education have been selected to attend the Olympic Games for free through the organiser’s Ticketshare programme.

The Essex college is a member of Get Set, the London 2012 official education programme that intends to utilise the energy and activities surrounding the Olympics to augment the education of young people. Membership of Get Set meant the college participated in many activities: Students performed in the show ‘Inspiration’ in March, as part of the Cultural Olympiad that accompanies the games. Learners also took part in a filming project at the Olympic park to champion Apprenticeships and support women who want to work in the construction industry.

The students will be able to experience inspiring Olympic events such as athletics, basketball, volleyball, football, hockey, freestyle wrestling and canoe sprint, held in renowned arenas such as the Olympic Stadium and Olympic Park, Wembley Stadium, London ExCel and Earls Court.

In a letter announcing the ticket allocation from London Mayor Boris Johnson and Seb Coe, chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), they said they were please to acknowledge they had been able to source 125,000 tickets for young people, without a charge on the schools, the children’s parents or on taxpayers.

Noel Otley, principal of Havering College, said: “It is something our students will remember about their college days for the rest of their lives.”

Oliver Cox